USD Football 1995

1995 USD Football Profile

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TheUSD football programheads into its third season at theNCAA Division I-AAlevel and a member ofthePioneer FootballLeague (PFL). Head Coach Brian Fogarty, entering his 13th year with the Toreros program, will be searchingfor his ninth straightwinning campaign. USD finished 2-3 in the PFL in 1994, a onegame improvement in thePFLwin column, and6-4 overall. CoachFogarty returns approximately 50 student-athletesand 13 start- ers (5 offensive/7 defensive/I specialty) from last year's club. Starters returning to the offense include RB/WR Evan Hlavacek (5-11, 170, jun- ior), tightend Duncan Hardy (8 catches for 146 yards in 6 starts), and linemen Brendan Bracken (6-0, 240 lbs., soph. left guard), Edward Flores (5-10, 230 lbs., soph. right guard) and Todd Plutchok (6-0, 277 lbs., juniorright tackle). Hlavacek, who was named FirstTeamAll-PFL a year ago at wide receiver, caught 25 passes for497 yards(l9.9 yards per reception) and 5 TDs. He also averaged 4.5 yards a carry rushing and finished with 294 yards and 3 TDs.Halfback TimAntongiovanni (5-10, 183 lbs.) is the lone senior on the offensive side ofthe ball and returns with the most experience in the backfield. Three key positions the Toreros will have to replace in theirWing-T offense include quarterback, fullback and left tackle. Lost to graduation were First TeamAll-PFL performers Vince Moiso at quarterback (1,630 yards passing, 13 IDs) and left tackleMatt Taylor. Fullback Jermaine Rucker, who set a school record for rushing with 1,332 yards, transferred out ofUSD for personal reasons. Leading candidates for the quarterback spot belong to returners James Beck and Brian Stevens, as well as JC transfer John Khamis.

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Defensive Coordinator Kevin McGarry returns seven starters. Three ofthe four were lost to graduation - rover JesseHall, ILB Tim Lynch andNGAdam Smith. Heading the list ofreturning starters is 6-1, 195 lb. senior strongsafety Doug Popovich, a First Team AII-PFL selection, who led the league in tackles with 142, and who was selected First Team GTE/ Academic All-America. Additional starters back include sophomore DL Buddy Brown (5-10, 247 lbs.), juniorDL Ryan Marcos (6-0, 248 lbs.), senior LB Curtis DeMers (6-2, 230 lbs.), junior nickel back Jeb Dougherty (6-0, 185 lbs.), seniorcomer Shaun Grove (5-10, 185 lbs.), and sophomore comer Kujanga Jackson (5-11, 185 lbs.). Dougherty finished second to Popovich in tackles with 92, good for 8th overall in the Pioneer Football League. The Toreros will also be looking to replace two-time First Team

AII-PFL punterRobert Ray. The leading candidate is junior MikeBuhler (40.3 average on 3 punts in 1994). Senior Matt Young, a 2nd Team AII- PFL place kicker in 1994, returns for his final seasonafter finishing asUSD's second leading scorer with 48 points (7-12 FG; 27-29 PAT). Top candi- dates for return duties include Jeb Dougherty (22.5 yards per kickoff , return) and Evan Hlavacek (21 .5 yards per kickoffreturn). Dougherty ended the yearwith a 92-yard kickoffreturn for a TD against Dayton, and is the current PFL leader with a 98-yard return in 1993 (Azusa Pacific). The Toreros open up their 1995 schedule at home on Sept. 2nd with Chico State, while their first PFL contest will be a week later at Day- ton (Sept. 9th). The Oct. 7th home game with Azusa Pacific is Parents Weekend. The Toreros __.....,. finish out their schedule with three consecutive Team PFL Overall home dates -- Drake Dayton* 4-1 8-2 (Oct. 28th), Butler (Nov. Butler* 4-1 7-3 4th, 6 p.m.) and Wagner Drake 3-2 7-3 College (Staten Island, SanDiego 2-3 6-4 NY) closes out the Valparaiso 2-3 7-3 schedule on Nov. 11th, Evansville 0-5 4-6 USD 's Homecoming • 1994 Co-Champions Game.